ROCKFORD, Ill. – The State Seal of Biliteracy, a recognition given to graduating high school students who have demonstrated a high level of proficiency in English and another language, would be available to private school students under a bill supported by state Rep. Maurice West II, D-Rockford.

“Understanding how to read, write, listen and speak in more than one language is incredibly helpful for a student’s skillset,” West said. “Whether a student is in a public school or private, they should be recognized for developing proficiency with multiple languages.”

The purpose of the State Seal of Biliteracy is to encourage students to study languages, certify attainment of biliteracy, provide employers and schools a method of identifying individuals with biliteracy skills and to recognize the value of diversity and languages of different communities. Currently, school district participation in the certification process is voluntary, and it is restricted to public schools only. The West-backed House Bill 37 would allow nonpublic schools to participate as well. Students awarded the seal may have it designated on their diploma and transcript.

“It takes a great deal of hard work and dedication to learn another language,” West said. “I commend the students in Rockford who are studying right now to expand their knowledge of languages. It will open up opportunities in higher education and within career fields they may wish to pursue.”

For more information, please contact West’s constituent service office at 815-987-7433 or Assistance@StateRepWest.com.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, D-Cicero, member of the Latino Caucus, fought to ensure every child has the tools necessary to succeed by supporting a historic education funding reform plan that changes the state’s funding system to one that is based on student need.

“After Gov. Rauner’s rejection of a school funding plan, we had to take action to make sure that our local schools would be able to remain open,” Hernandez said. “After months of bipartisan negotiations and compromise, we were able to find a solution that not only keeps schools open, but ensures that every child in our local school districts and in communities across Illinois will have access to a quality education.”

Hernandez voted to pass Senate Bill 1947, which will change the education funding formula to one that is data driven and based on student need. The new formula will take into account various factors including teacher to pupil ratio, technology costs, the number of low-income students and English learners. As a result, more financial assistance and state funds will go to districts with greater need. Under Senate Bill 1947, local schools in the 24th District will receive approximately the following in additional funding:

• Sterling Morton High School District 201— $8,595,117
• Cicero School District 99— $7,755,914
• Berwyn South School District 100— $2,988,354
• Berwyn North School District 98— $1,585,630

Senate Bill 1947 would also ensure that Bilingual Education will be fully funded for the upcoming school year by increasing its funding to $38,376,300. Bilingual Education has not been fully funded for several decades.

“Our education funding reform plan is a big win for the students in my district, who like many across Illinois, have long suffered the consequences of a broken system that discriminates against poorer communities,” Hernandez said. “Education gives every child a foundation to dream and achieve as big as they want. Now with this new law in place, we can move forward knowing that our schools will remain open and our children will receive the resources they deserve!”

Spanish Translation:

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – La representante estatal Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernández, D-Cícero, apoyo una reforma histórica que cambiará la manera en que la educación es financiada en Illinois, asegurando que cada niño tenga los recursos necesarios para triunfar.

“Después que el gobernador Rauner rechazo un plan para financiar la educación, tuvimos que actuar rápido para asegurar que ninguna escuela tuviera que cerrar sus puertas,” Hernández dijo. “Después de meses de negociaciones y compromiso, encontramos una solución que no solo mantendrá abiertas las escuelas, pero que asegurará que todos los niños en nuestros distritos escolares y en comunidades alrededor de Illinois tengan acceso a una educación de calidad.”

Hernández apoyo la Legislación del Senado 1947, cuál creará una fórmula de financiación escolar basada en la necesidad de cada distrito. La nueva fórmula tomará en cuenta varios factores, incluyendo la proporción entre maestros y alumnos, costos de tecnología, el número de estudiantes de bajos ingresos y estudiantes de inglés como segundo idioma. Debajo del plan de reforma, los distritos escolares en el Distrito 24 recibirán aproximadamente lo siguiente en fondos adicionales:

• Sterling Morton High School District 201— $8,595,117
• Cicero School District 99— $7,755,914
• Berwyn South School District 100— $2,988,354
• Berwyn North School District 98— $1,585,630

La nueva ley también asegurará que la educación bilingüe sea financiada en su totalidad para el próximo año escolar—aumentando su financiamiento a $38,376,300. La educación bilingüe no ha sido completamente financiada por varias décadas.

“Nuestro plan para reformar la manera en que la educación es financiada es una victoria grande para los estudiantes de mi distrito, que como muchos en Illinois, han sufrido las consecuencias de un sistema que discrimina a las comunidades de bajos recursos,” Hernández dijo. “La educación es una herramienta esencial para expandir la oportunidad económica. ¡Y ahora con esta nueva ley podemos avanzar sabiendo que nuestras escuelas permanecerán abiertas y que cada niño recibirá los recursos que se merecen!”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Committed to ensuring every child has the tools necessary to succeed, state Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, D-Cicero, member of the Latino Caucus, is calling on Gov. Rauner to sign Senate Bill 1 into law once it arrives on his desk.

“A quality education gives every child a foundation to dream and achieve as big as they want. And where someone lives should never determine the sort of education they can receive,” Hernandez said. “I urge Governor Rauner to think about what SB 1 would mean for English learners across our state before he says no to expanding opportunity to all children with the stroke of a pen.”

Hernandez voted to pass Senate Bill 1, which would change the education funding formula to one that is data driven and based on student need. The new formula would take into account various factors including teacher to pupil ratio, technology costs, the number of low-income students and English learners. Additionally, the legislation factors in the ability for local taxpayers to contribute to school districts. This means that more financial assistance and state money would go to districts with greater need. Under Senate Bill 1, local schools in the 24^th District would receive the following in additional funding:

• Sterling Morton High School District 201— $8,805,316
• Cicero School District 99— $8,688,626
• Berwyn South School District 100— $2,944,270
• Berwyn North School District 98— $1,723,873

Senate Bill 1 would also ensure that Bilingual Education be fully funded for the upcoming school year by increasing its funding to $38,546,000. Bilingual Education has not been fully funded for several decades. Despite Gov. Rauner’s veto of the bi-partisan budget that funded this vital program, Hernandez is fighting to make sure that every student has access to the tools they need for a strong future.

“Students in District 100, like so many across the state of Illinois, have suffered the consequences of inadequate funding and proration for years.  Our students deserve access to high-quality educational programs that are based on student need and are not dependent on where they live,” Berwyn South School District 100 Superintendent Mary Havis said. “Senate Bill 1 provides a school funding solution that addresses individual student needs while ensuring that no districts lose funding.  We applaud the legislators that have continued the fight to fix the state’s broken funding formula and urge Governor Rauner to consider every child in the state and sign SB1.”

State Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez is a member of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus and represents the 24th District, which includes Cicero, Little Village, Berwyn, Brookfield, Riverside, and Stickney.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As a key player for ensuring Bilingual Education would be fully funded for the upcoming school year, state Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Hoffman Estates, is calling on Gov. Rauner to sign Senate Bill 1 into law once it arrives on his desk.

“As the Chairman of one of the House Education committees, and as the Co-Chair of the Latino Legislative Caucus, education is a top priority for me because it is an essential tool that expands opportunities for students,” Crespo said. “To use the governor’s own words, we have given him 90 percent of what he wants in the bill. I urge him to compromise and sign Senate Bill 1 into law so that all of our children have the tools they need for a strong future.”

Crespo voted to pass Senate Bill 1, which would change the education funding formula to one that is data driven and based on student need. The new formula would take into account various factors including teacher to pupil ratio, technology costs, the number of low-income students and English learners. Additionally, the legislation factors in the ability for local taxpayers to contribute to school districts. This means that more financial assistance and state money would go to districts with greater need, such as School District 46 which would receive $14,532,073 in additional funding.

Crespo also led the effort to ensure Bilingual Education would be fully funded for the upcoming school year by increasing its funding to $38,546,000. Bilingual Education has not been fully funded for several decades. Despite Gov. Rauner’s veto of the bi-partisan budget that funded this vital program, Crespo is fighting to make sure that every student has access to the tools they need to succeed.

“For the past several years I have worked to support the General Assembly, including Rep. Fred Crespo, in revamping the state’s outdated educational funding system.  Finally we have a bill that has passed both the House and the Senate.  It is also the first bill that meets the Governor’s past requirement that no district lose money under any plan that reaches his desk,” U-46 Chief Executive Officer Tony Sanders said. “If past bills died because they would have taken dollars away from wealthy suburban districts in order to increase poorer districts, how is it okay to take money from one district – CPS – to boost funding for all districts?”

Crespo represents the 44th District, which includes all or portions of Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Streamwood.